Starfighter: Nova
by SleipnirSupernova
Summary: Chanun is just a surfer dude from the Islands drafted into a war he didn't choose. Now, he has to navigate the maze of relationships that make up the Sleipnir and figure out how to survive both the external battles and internal demons within the ship. Starfighter uni, Eclipse didn't happen. Should be fun! M/M is coming, no worries ;). Lots of OC, Chapter 4 up!
1. Boarding

I rubbed the bleariness from my eyes as the doors of the ship opened up, revealing glints of the sunny, arid planet in front of me. A massive craft sat before us, the word Sleipnir etched across the side. I took a deep breath and stepped out, inhaling and exhaling the hot, heavy fumes as men and women around me bustled, attempting to organize various registrations, trying to find comrades they had met before in the academy, and whatnot. I knew no one here, so all I could do was wear the goofy, relaxed face that had been my trademark ever since I was a child in the isles and hope for the best.

I fiddled with the choker around my neck, scratching the back as I could feel the sun beating down on me, trying to burn my already browned skin. I flexed my toes, feeling so constrained in the military-ordered legging/shoe things that I was forced to wear. I'd have much rather rested them in the ocean, or a pool, potentially over a brew with some of my surfer bros, but unfortunately that was not going to be possible.

I was drafted. They weren't. Shit happens.

Before the front of the ship, my new home for the next…well, at least eight months, the Gov had said, were metal tables where this new base's registrars were organizing all of the new additions to the Sleipnir. I got in line behind some dude with an undercut and waited, shoulders back, arms slightly folded, just like Astor had taught me at the academy.

The line moved slowly, giving me a ton of time to collect my thoughts and think about the ramifications of the entire situation, how just months ago my biggest problem was figuring out which beaches to hit up over the summer vacation, and now I was going to pretty much be thrust into the middle of a war zone any day. I felt my breath catch in the back of my throat for a second, then I swallowed it again, rolling my shoulders to ensure that it went down smoothly.

"You did well in the Academy, you'll be fine." I told myself. That was correct, actually - I even had been shocked by my scores in the final assessment. I pretty much had a choice of whether or not to become a Fighter or Navigator - I had the build for a Fighter, definitely, thanks to years spent battling the waves at home, and in the final physical aptitude challenge I had scored highest out of anyone in my troop when it came to Reflexes and Evasion.

Then again, even though I had never been extremely book smart, I also ended up doing surprisingly well in my Navigation test. I scored around the middle in terms of the written aspect, but my evaluator commented that in the practical portion, I was the only person to consider utilizing a Stealth maneuver - well, at least a maneuver that could work.

"You're an interesting one," he had told me as I sat in my final meeting, still mulling over what my final choice would be. "You could really do either if you wanted. You could be a phenomenal Fighter, for sure, with your quick trigger finger, ability in hand-to-hand…heck, even your underwater acumen could prove to be beneficial should it come to that. Then again, though…you seem to have a burgeoning tactical mind, as well. And Navigator would seem to fit your temperament better, from my vantage point at least." He shrugged.

"Where would they need me more, Commander?" I asked, trying to be helpful.

"That's not how they operate, and you know that," he'd responded, rubbing his buzzed scalp. "And please, call me Astor, like I've told you time and time again."

I grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

The line moved as I was caught up in my own mind. I shook it like I was getting water out of my ears, feeling the weight of my tight, black hair tied up behind me in a ponytail. Even though I had not chosen this path, I had to admit, there was something absolutely intoxicating about the thought that, potentially in a matter of days, I could be in the middle of an interstellar battle for the fate of all of the Alliance against those malignant Colterons. I was a little scared, sure, but then I remembered what Astor had told me in our final meeting before I went aboard the ship, ready to depart for my new journey.

"Here's the thing," he had said as we sat across the table from one another, both acting like we were eating dinner but really just considering what would happen at daybreak. "Every occupant aboard the Sleipnir has something about them that is special, even if they don't know it yet. Internally, there's a lot of respect in our office for that ship. It's a young ship, full of exuberance, talent, and...cockiness."

Astor choked a little bit on that last word and guffawed. I bit my lip in a smile - of course, I'd heard the rumors about the Sleipnir's reputation for sexual proclivity. I was prepared for it, although I'm not the kind of person who's easily wooed, whether by faux bad-boys or pining, needy twinks. This was a job, first and foremost, after all. Earth needed protection and I was tasked to heed her call.

Astor continued. "We lobbied for you to get on there because we think you could be a really nice complement to it, though. It's your attitude. Sometimes, a calming influence is exactly what a ship like that needs, and your ability under pressure was off the charts based on our testing."

"Hah, thanks," I said with a smile. It was my blessing and my curse, I supposed. I always tried to put out the appearance of being as chill as possible, fulfilling every Islander stereotype in the process. However, some saw this as arrogance rather than relaxation, as if everything came easy for me and I could not be bothered to help anyone else. I didn't have a lot of close friends - at least, I didn't have a lot of friends who worked with me in a competitive capacity. Too self-assured for my own good, I guess. Maybe the guys on the ship would be different.

The line wriggled forward again, and I could see the front now. I was almost there.

The final conversation I had with Astor kept echoing over and over again, in my head, as I gave him a hug goodbye after leaving his room for the night.

"I'd keep you here longer, but you'll need your rest for tomorrow," he had said, his arms wrapped around my shoulders. I could feel his muscles tensed. He had made it so clear that I would be missed, by him at least, and I really appreciated that, even if I couldn't necessarily vocalize it. He understood that perspective.

"I believe in you," he whispered, looking at me straight in the eyes, his greens locked into my blues, our noses touching. The bond we had formed over the past few months was strong, exactly what I needed to make it through the rigors of the Academy. I came a boy, I would leave a man.

"I'll miss you," I said back with a grin, giving Astor a light kiss on his forehead, making him blush a bit. I loved getting to him like that, making him feel just uncomfortable enough to have his body betray his normally stalwart attitude. He kissed me back on the lips.

"Oh, you'll fit in with the Sleipnir cats perfectly, I know it." He patted me on the back and broke off our hug, saying one more goodbye with his eyes as he began to close the door.

"Kick some ass out there for me." I nodded with a smile, and then Astor was gone, his soft eyes burned into my memory for all-time. I'd miss him.

"Name?"

I started, noticing that almost as if on autopilot, I had moved to the front of the line. Looked like the other dude, I think his name was Helios, had been taken by the receptionist on my right. I gulped and looked forward.

"Taskname is Chanun, ma'am." Cha-noon, from the back of my throat .I'd have to get used to that sounds. It scratched me and made me cough a bit as I brought the sound up from the back of my throat.

"Are you sure of your Class?"

I had made my decision the night before. When I had confirmed it, I did it with a touch of dread, but I knew it was the right choice.

"Fighter."

The woman looked through her records and then gave me a key card. "You're in Room 300. At 2100, there will be a fuller briefing for all Fighters and Navigators that are coming aboard this ship. Welcome to the Sleipnir." She finished her spiel with a smile. I grinned back, took my key, and walked inside.

Time for a new journey, a new opportunity. I was scared, but stoked.


	2. Ezekiel

p class="p1"Worldbuilding is necessary - now we get to meet Chanun's navigator! I just finished up another chapter that was pretty much entirely a sex scene - I think y'all will be pleased with it when it comes out ;)./p  
p class="p1"This chapter is pretty short - I'll probably be posting another one in three days, want to make sure I spread these out. /p  
p class="p1"Feel free to leave any comments or feedback, and I hope you enjoy!/p  
p class="p1"- Sleipy Nova/p  
p class="p1"-/p  
p class="p1"I walked down the long hallways of the ship with a strut and a sigh, beginning to take in the surroundings. The Sleipnir was pretty massive, much bigger than anything that I was expecting. I'd surely have to take a more lengthy tour a bit later, after we had disembarked. The ship was pretty much empty, as many of those who were already part of the team on the Sleipnir had taken the landing time as an opportunity to stretch their legs and get off the cruiser. I could see why they'd want that; it must get pretty stuffy being stuck in the same place 24/7./p  
p class="p1"span class="s1"I finally made it to Room 300. Bag in hand, I opened the door, startling the person who's back was turned. He spun around and looked at me as I entered./span/p  
p class="p2""Oh!" He gasped, a hand running toward his mouth. I gave a sideways grin./p  
p class="p2""You must be my Navigator." I held out a hand in a friendly greeting. "I'm Cha-" I couldn't help it, I coughed a bit again as I said my name. Damn, it got caught in the back of my throat way too much. My opposite number still stared at me, his face fairly emotionless. I gathered myself and continued my introduction./p  
p class="p1"span class="s1""Chanun. Sorry about that, dude. Nice to meet you." He shook my hand, my thicker, darker fingers enveloping his more lithe, pale ones./span/p  
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hi, Chanun. I'm...um...Ezekiel," he said softly, having no trouble with my name's pronounciation. As I met Ezekiel, I took a closer look at him. He was shorter than me, about 5 foot 9 to my 6 feet even, his body thin compared to my stronger, thicker build. His hair was cut fairly short, albeit a bit spiky on top, its short black color contrasting the Navigator's light skin perfectly. His eyes were a deep chestnut brown, but it was what framed them that shocked me a bit./span/p  
p class="p1"span class="s1""You got specs?" I asked quizzically. Glasses were normally not permitted in combat - they were seen as being detrimental in high pressure situations given their unwieldiness and potential to break. Most Fighters had to get contact lenses, at the very least, but I had always heard that it was mandatory for Navigators to get laser surgery to ensure that they had 20/10 vision. Well, at least recently. Some Commanders who had come in with glasses were able to keep them, as long as they weren't directly running combat missions anymore./span/p  
p class="p2"Ezekiel bit his lip, nervous. "Yeah...I couldn't go through with the laser," he said, looking away from me, almost ashamed. "And my eyes are too sensitive for contacts. I got an exemption from the Commander on this ship. They're giving me a chance, but they said that one mistake where my glasses screw something up, and I wouldn't get an option next time. Makes sense, since I think he has specs too. He's sympathetic. " He looked a bit sheepish, probably not making the first impression he wanted to with his new partner-in-crime. In the back of my mind, I thought vaguely about some of the ramifications of what Ezekiel was saying, but I pushed them away./p  
p class="p2""It's cool, man. I trust you," I said genially, patting him on the back. "I'm guessing if you qualified for an exemption, there must be a reason why they let that come to pass." Ezekiel grinned a little more now, his fears assuaged. He was lucky to get the least judgmental fighter possible./p  
p class="p2""Yeah, well...I aced the Navigator exam. Stayed up for three days straight to get it done. Figured that as long as I'm going to be drafted for this war, I may as well try my best." He jumped up and ran over to his bag, taking out a folder full of sketches, maneuvers and strategies. "I definitely have some stuff we need to try in the VR sims. It'll take a lot of practice, but I think we can do some really, really cool shit."/p  
p class="p2"I smiled and nodded. "Definitely, bro. I'm excited to work with you. I think we'll kill it together." I leaned back on the bed and kicked off my boots, throwing off my socks and letting my feet breathe a little bit. "So, where you from, man?"/p  
p class="p2""East Mainland," he said, shrugging as he began to put his things away. I could have guessed as much from his pale skin. "I got drafted, like you I'm guessing."/p  
p class="p2""Yup," I responded. "I'm from the Islands. Got the East Coast/West Coast thing going for us, huh?"/p  
p class="p2""I guess so." I looked at the two bags Ezekiel had brought with him onto the ship. Both were larger than the one sack that I had currently stowed on my bed. /p  
p class="p2""Who's that in the photo?" I asked as Ezekiel put a frame onto his dresser drawer./p  
p class="p2""Just my family. Mom, dad, three sisters. I'm the only boy, and the oldest."/p  
p class="p2""Ah, so the man of the house," I quipped with a slight grin. Ezekiel raised an eyebrow, although I did see a smile creep across his face./p  
p class="p2""Well, I'm just trying to set a good example, you know. I told my sisters I'd see them when I got back, and I intend to keep that promise. So, in case you hadn't already realized it, you're in pretty good hands in terms of your Navigator."/p  
p class="p2"I stretched my arms and leaned back on my bed, my black uniform tightly gripping my body. I wasn't used to such constrained clothes when I was at home, but I had acclimated to the stretchy, rubbery feel of the suit during my time at the Academy. /p  
p class="p2""And you got a pretty kickass Fighter yourself," I said with a wink. "I think we'll make a killer team."/p  
p class="p2""Same," Ezekiel said, walking over and sitting next to me on my bed. "I'm happy that you seem like a good guy, too. I know certain fighters have a bit of a...temper."/p  
p class="p2""Yeah, I pretty much just go with the flow," I leaned back on my hands and sat up, my muscles feeling nice and loose. "No need to get dramatic, we're all adults. Let's just do our fucking jobs."/p  
p class="p2""Totally," Ezekiel said determinedly, pumping his fist a little bit. "I'm happy that you're focused on the task at hand, too. I know that you must have heard the rumors about the Sleipnir."/p  
p class="p2"I shrugged. "I'm not gonna worry about THAT right now. It'll come organically, I'm guessing. No need to get a rep as a whore or anything."/p  
p class="p2"Ezekiel harrumphed. "I know I'm pretty focused on the task at hand, I expect you to be too."/p  
p class="p2"I raised an eyebrow, getting the vibe that my comrade either took himself too seriously or, dare I say, was a bit of a prude. "Don't worry, Zeke. Ass is on the back burner for me. Trust."/p  
p class="p2"Ezekiel's expression softened. "Zeke. Cool name. I like it."/p  
p class="p2""Zeke it is, then," I said with a smile. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to take a quick nap before the thing at 9. Can you set an alarm?"/p  
p class="p2"He nodded and I lay down, closing my eyes and catching some Zs before that afternoon's meeting./p 


	3. Meeting the New Faces

After a nice nap, Zeke gave me a nudge. We got up together and then walked to the Briefing Room. All of those that had been out and about earlier in the day had returned for the meeting, and the room was bustling with activity.

Zeke and I stood in a corner, just regarding the scene. Many males, and some females, milled about, catching up on the day's adventures as we just stood there and waited for the day's events to begin. I looked at Zeke and saw some discomfort on his face; he clearly wasn't used to being in huge crowds. I was a bit more adept at reconciling such situations - people tended to naturally gravitate toward me. I was something to be stared at, an anomaly.

"Yo," I heard someone call over to me, waving. It was the dude with the undercut from earlier, and he was waving over to me. He was standing next to the man who was most certainly his Navigator, a tan, lithe guy with a two-toned mop on his head. I grabbed Zeke and walked over.

"Hey dude," I intoned. "First day?"

"Yup," he smiled, his teeth glinting. This guy seemed full of exuberance, whomever he was, his light eyes mesmerizing as he looked me over. "I recognized you from the line earlier, thought it might be smart to stick together since we're all new on the ship. I'm Helios. And this is..."

"I can speak for myself, Helios," the Navigator interrupted, sticking out his hand and smiling. "I'm Selene. Nice to meet you."

"Cool, dudes. I'm Chanun." I shook both hands, secretly proud of myself for being able to finally pronounce the name correctly.

"I'm Zeke," my partner chimed in.

"Awesome, nice to meet you guys," Helios said with a smile. Damn, his fucking eyes. I was melting a little bit, although I was able to keep my composure. I remembered what I had discussed with Zeke earlier; I'd control myself. At least for the time being. More dudes like Helios, though, and it would be difficult to stay pure and chaste.

"So, what brings you all onto the Sleipnir?" Selene asked, his voice crisp, almost like a radio DJ's.

"We were both drafted," Zeke answered. "You?"

"Same," Selene said. "This one volunteered, though."

"Really?" Zeke asked, looking at Helios with a bit of confused appreciation. I was surprised, too.

"Yeah," Helios said nonchalantly. "Here to serve and protect." I could tell from the slight shakiness in his voice that there was something else there, a secret that he was keeping, but I wasn't going to press him on it. Not now, anyway.

"So you're not Stateside, then?" Zeke inquired.

"Nah, I'm from The Colonies," Helios responded. "Selene's from The Southwest, though."

Selene nodded. "Yup."

All of a sudden, we heard a buzzing sound and a hush come over the room. Everyone began to scramble for seats. Our quartet stayed together, sitting in a corner of the room as a group of men ascended to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the oldest of the group boomed over the mic, "silence please." The room immediately quieted down, and the man grinned.

"Good afternoon, all, and to our new shipmates, welcome aboard the Sleipnir. Myself, Commander Bering, and this man on my right, Encke, are your lead fighters." He gestured to the dark-skinned man with intense eyes on his immediate right. He seemed intense, I thought. It might be tough to live up to his expectations.

"These two are Commander Cook and Keeler, your lead navigators." Bering gestured to his far left, too two men with blonde hair, one older with a closely cropped cut and specs, the other younger with a long braid and smiling eyes. I recalled Zeke telling me about Cook; he must have been the one to lobby for my Navigator to keep his glasses through his deployment.

"For those new members of the ship, you have been enlisted to help with our battle against the Colteron threat," Commander Bering continued, his eyes holding the attention of everyone in the room. "Thank you for joining us - we are thrilled to have you aboard the Sleipnir. If you need anything, feel free to reach out to us or your fellow soldiers. We're family here." He paused and there was a light smattering of applause. I looked around and saw eyes going everywhere, clearly trying to fixate on the new people. I caught eyes with this one blond with wild-eyed hair sitting next to a fighter with an eyepatch. He grinned at me and then turned back to the podium, where Bering was set to continue.

"New recruits, you will receive schedules detailing your mandatory regimens tonight on your coms. For the rest of you, we hope that you enjoyed your breaks, but tomorrow it's back to the grind. We have some new intelligence that the Navigators will need to be analyzing tomorrow, so it'll be all hands on deck. New recruits, I'd try and find a buddy so you're kept up to speed on what's going on. I'm sure one of the current Navs would be happy to help."

I looked over at Zeke and saw his eyes light up. Information was his lifeblood. I knew he'd keep me in the loop if anything crazy was going on.

"Fighters, just keep on training. We may be layering on some new methods in the next couple of weeks, especially since we may have discovered some new Colteron colonies in some...well...less than desirable locales. However, for now, it's business as usual."

"So, that's all for today. We'll take off at 2400 so mind the shaky floor then until we get back into orbit." Bering concluded with a smile making its way on his mustached face. "May the Sleipnir stay strong." We all grunted in assent, and then the crowd was loud again as Fighters and Navigators alike began walking around again, now free from their previous engagement.

"So, that was cool," Helios said, yawning a bit as he slapped me on the back. I turned to him and grinned.

"Yup. Feels crazy...we're aboard the freaking Sleipnir and tomorrow begins our training. I should be scared, but I'm not for some reason."

"Adrenaline does crazy things to the brain," Selene mused as we began to make our way over to the mess hall. Subconsciously, it seemed like we had all come to the realization that we were starving. We grabbed some food and sat as a group, just eating and talking about stuff.

"So, Selene," Zeke began saying as he swallowed a bit of an apple. "I was thinking that after we find out our training schedules, we can reconnect and then try to find a Navigator to help keep us up to speed on everything going on with this "new mission." Selene nodded in assent; I could tell that he was totally devoted to the mission as well. He'd be good company to keep.

"I hope there are some other nice Navigators around here," Zeke said, perhaps just a tad too loudly as the room was filling up a bit more. I raised an eyebrow in both amusement and slight embarrassment. Helios caught my look and giggled a bit into his food. "This place feels kind of cliquey."

"We've barely met anyone so far, dude," I told Zeke as I patted his shoulder. "Relax. I'm sure there are some other cool people about. We've already made two new friends, see?" He looked at me and took a deep breath, then turned away. I smiled and moved back toward my food, when all of a sudden I saw another person next to me.

"Hey," my new neighbor said, holding out a hand for me to shake. It was the blonde Navigator from earlier, and now I was able to get a good look at him. He had bright eyes, a mane of hair, and was well-built; not super thin, but fit and solid. He smiled, his bright teeth glinting. "I'm Ethos. You're new?"

"I'm Chanun, and yeah, man. Nice to meet you." He blushed a bit, some red finding its way into his cheeks.

"Heheh...sorry. I saw you from across the room earlier and felt compelled to say hi. I hope you enjoy it here!" His enthusiasm wasn't exactly infectious as much as it felt put-on, but I kept my composure and leaned back a bit.

"Hey Zeke, this Navigator seems cool. Why don't you say hi?" Zeke turned to face him and nodded. Ethos opened his mouth for a second, then closed it.

"You have glasses?" He asked. Zeke sighed.

"Yup, got an exemption to wear them. Eyes are too sensitive for laser or contacts...at least for now."

Ethos looked confused for have a second, but then brightened. "Cool! Commander Cook...he wasn't at the ceremony because he's in the med bay...but he has glasses too. Must be a reason why you ended up on this ship.

Zeke shrugged. "I guess so. I know they're supposed to be stricter about that now, but I got lucky."

I gave Zeke another pat. "Nah, he's being modest. He's a strategic genius, from what I've seen thus far." Now, it was Zeke's turn to blush. I took the opportunity to allow Helios and Selene to introduce themselves to Ethos as well. We all chatted and ate for the next hour or so until we had all completed our meals.

"So, catch me later, OK?" Ethos said as we all walked out. "I have to meet up with my Fighter right now for some training, but both you Navigators find me tomorrow and I'll let you know what's up with this new initiative." Zeke and Selene nodded and both agreed. Ethos turned to Helios and gave him a hug, then grasped me around my waist.

"And if you ever want to talk about anything, Chanun, you can come find me too," he hummed in my ear. "Room 293."

I didn't expect anything like this to happen this quickly, but it really did seem like the Sleipnir rumors were true; there was more dicking on this ship than anywhere else. I knew the effect that I had on some people; even on the island, I was fetishized a bit by men and women alike for my combination of skin tone, attitude, and, of course, build. I mostly just went with the flow, turning down the undesirables and gaining a little bit of experience with some people I felt more comfortable with. I was prepared - and, dare I say, expecting - to meet some cool people on this vessel who I may want to bone.

Still, I remembered what Zeke and I had discussed earlier. Fucking anyone - Ethos or anyone else - would have to wait a bit, at least until after we had gotten acclimated to what was going on. Heck, Astor was still in the back of my mind - he'd been the first one who I'd...allowed to reciprocate, shall we say. I needed some time to gather my thoughts and figure out who was worth it.

I'd still be able to lay some groundwork, though, even if I wanted to stay high and dry for now.

"Sure, Ethos," I hummed back, wrapping one of my long, muscled arms around the small of his back and squeezing right above the nape of his butt, hearing the absolute faintest of moans in my ear. "I'll be sure to let you know if I ever want to chat."

We ended our embrace and my troop walked out, excited to explore the remainder of the ship we would now call home.


	4. A Little Sparring

NEW CHARACTERS INTRODUCED! And Chanun gets to show off some of his moves in the gym, maybe even impress some of the bois ;).

Thanks for all who have read so far - things are building and I'm pretty sure that we're almost at the tipping point where things are going to get a bit faster and more furious. Cain and Abel (and co) are coming soon as well, do not fret!

Of course, all characters except for Chanun, Zeke, Kama, and Rati are property of HamletMachine.

Enjoy!

\- SleipyNova

"Finally! The gym!" Helios exclaimed as we made it to the place where any Fighter worth his salt would spend most of his time. Given that today was a vacation day for everyone, the space was fairly full. Fighters and Navigators alike were on the treadmills and machines, lifting, sweating, and preparing for the rigors of space travel. Helios sprinted over to one of the pullup bars and did a full swing on it, flipping over the top and back around. Selene just watched him, arms crossed, walking over to admire the flexible Colonist.

I looked at Zeke with a grin.

"You lift at all, man?" He flushed.

"Uh...not really. I'm not super athletic."

"No reason not to start now, dude. Gotta be built for the job that you're assigned to do." I walked over to a 20 pound dumbell and picked it up with my left hand, easily bringing it over. Zeke put his hands up.

"Uhh...maybe when there are less people here," he said, his face turning bright red. I shrugged. I didn't want to embarrass my Navigator, especially not on our first day. That'd be a bad look.

"No worries, man. How about this? You can make it your mission to get me up to speed on the strategic stuff, and I'll help you get a little bit stronger?"

Zeke smiled and nodded. "Sounds like a plan...but let's start when there are less people around, OK? I think I'm going to head out."

I patted him on the shoulder. "You sure? The night is young?"

"I'm sure," he said, a look of resignation on his face. "I'm not feeling this. Not right now. I think if you're going to stay, I'll head back and prepare for tomorrow."

"OK, dude." We gave each other an awkward half hug goodbye, and I walked back over to the weights area. I noticed a jump rope on the ground and I picked it up and started to get into the groove, doing some jumps back and forth as a warmup. As I moved and gyrated from side-to-side, I thought about the day that had been, everything lifechanging that had happened. It would be a work in progress with Zeke, for sure, but I definitely saw how we complimented each other. Some in the Academy glamourized the Fighter/Navigator bond as being almost like a courtship, where fickleness was appreciated. One of our Instructors even said that he had requested a switch from his Fighter within a week due to, as he called it, a "lack of physical and mental compatibility."

I was going to give Zeke a chance. I saw the value he brought. Also, he could be pretty cute in his own way. I'd find him a boy soon enough - well, if he was Kinsey 2 to 6, anyway. There weren't too many Kinsey 1s around anymore, but if he was, well...good luck on this ship.

"Hey!" I heard someone shout in my direction. I stopped my jumping, a little bit of sweat on my brow. I saw a Fighter and Navigator come over. I didn't recognize either of them. The Fighter on the left was a bit taller than me with a bright red mohawk running down the middle of his scalp, while his Nav on the right was short but built like a tank, a black cowlick framing the middle of his handsome face.

"Sup, dudes?" I smiled and held out my hand. The redhead shook it with a strong grip.

"Name's Kama," he said, grinning. I noticed he had a small gap in between his two front teeth; "And this guy's Rati. We both just came aboard the ship today, and he thought he'd recognized you in line. New as well?"

"Yup," I responded. "I'm Chanun. Nice to meet you!"

"Cool," Kama said as he patted me on the back. "Getting your space legs under you?"

"Yup," I said with a shrug. "I was just going to do sprints or something. Gotta get back into the groove and all that."

"Want to spar?" Kama asked, pointing to the ring in the corner. I nodded. Why not?

We went over to the ring and both got into fighting stances, the big red head lining up with his left hand in the lead. Rati watched us from the corner. He seemed a bit shy.

"Just warning you, man, I was one of the best in my class in terms of hand-to-hand punch power," Kama said with some swagger in his voice. "And I don't intend on going easy."

I got up on my toes in a fighter's stance, thinking about everything Astor had taught me regarding hand-to-hand. Guard my face, jab, jab, hook, jab. Most importantly, never stop moving. Ever.

"I'm ready," I muttered. Kama nodded, and then he struck. Or tried to, anyway, as I was able to get out of the way of his left jab. I chuckled "Too slow, man."

Kama looked a bit perturbed and reared back again, this time with a right. Even before he had extended, I could tell he was trying to fake me into his left. I ducked the first punch and then quickly shifted to my left, escaping yet again.

"Fuck, dude." Kama said, already panting. Big boy clearly wasn't in shape. He came at me again with a left, right, left, regroup. I dodged each punch, his groans giving me life as I bobbed and weaved. Right, left, right, again. He couldn't touch me. He aimed a kick at my head and I ducked under it, backing up yet again, my feet never moving out of sync. In the corner of my eye I could see more faces coming over to our little ring, the two Fighters sparring getting some attention.

Now, Kama waited. Clearly, he was awaiting me to make a move, to punch, to do something. I was barely sweating, he already looked like he'd swam ten laps in the pool. I cheekily smiled and readied a punch with my right. I could see Kama getting ready to defend it...but then I pulled back into a feint and came over the top with my left hand. Kama's face turned, right into my fist, which I stopped an inch short of his nose.

"Boom, baby," I said with a smile. "If this was a real fight, you'd be done." The shock, or something else, must have caused Kama to drop to the ground on his knees, panting, sweat pouring off of his body.

Victory for Chanun. Fuck yeah, Chanun.

I looked around and saw faces, in white and black suits, just staring at us. Some of them had their arms folded, clearly impressed. Others were whispering to their partners, pointing at me. I even saw two of the guys from the podium earlier, standing together, giving each other sidelong looks, the one with the long blond hair smirking. Heck, even Helios and Selene were both just standing there, Helios' mouth slightly agape, Selene's eyes intense.

I squatted and tapped Kama on the back of his head, rubbing his shaved scalp.

"Need some help up?" He looked at me and took my hand as I lifted him as the crowd began to disperse. Now, he was grinning wildly.

"Shit, dude, that was amazing. You gotta teach me that." We walked over to where Rati was watching us and Helios and Selene soon ran over as well.

"Damn, Chanun," Helios said. "That was absurd. How'd you do that?"

"I DID come top in my class at the Academy in terms of Reflexes and Evasion," I said through a Cheshire grin, rubbing my forearm over my forehead and shaking some of the sweat out of my hair. "Guess learning how to catch waves and dodge awry volleyballs has its real life applications."

"Well, I'm happy you're on OUR side," Selene said with a grin. He looked at Rati, and so did I. Yup, still quiet, although his grin was infectious.

I yawned. "I actually think I'm going to head back and catch some Zs. But we'll hang tomorrow." The group agreed, we all exchanged room numbers, and I began to walk out into the hallway, toward the dorms, not realizing that I was being followed.


	5. Knowing The Nav

New chapter coming out a few hours early! Next one will come out either Friday night or Saturday afternoon.

I promise that there's more to this chapter than meets the eye...but Chanun gets to know one of his superiors a little bit better here.

Thanks for the kudos and comments. I'm going to try to post more on my Tumblr so you can feel free to ask me questions/leave me feedback there as well.

Cain and Abel are coming...don't you worry. Sometimes, the foreplay makes the climax all worth it in the end.

\- SleipyNova

* * *

"Man, what a fucking first night," I yelled to no one in particular as I exited the gym and toward my room.

"I'll say," came from behind me. I turned around; it was the blonde guy from earlier, with the long hair-braid. He was smiling, his teeth pristine. He carried himself with a grace that made me want to stand up a little taller.

"You're Lead Navigator Keeler, right?" I said. He smiled and nodded.

"And you are?"

"New," I sputtered. Shit. Keeler let a small guffaw pass his lips.

"I knew that. I saw you at the ceremony earlier. I meant, what should I call you?"

"Chanun," I answered, secretly thankful I wouldn't embarrass myself anymore in front of my superior officer. I extended my hand and he shook, his fingers interlocking with mine.

"I love that name," Keeler said with a smile.

"Heh, thanks," I responded. "I didn't choose it, of course, but I'll make people remember it."

"You should look up its etymology when you get back to your room. But anyway, I digress."

My mind was in a bit of a haze, but I soon snapped out of it. "So how can I help you?"

"You looked pretty good tonight," he said. "In the sparring match. The way you dodged and anticipated the other Fighter's moves, it was extremely impressive."

"Heh, thanks," I said. Damn, this was more than I expected - getting complimented by a Lead on the first day! "I scored well in that particular discipline at the Academy. Must have picked up some tricks from growing up on the Islands."

"Oh, so you're an Islander, then?" Keeler inquired. I nodded my head.

"Great. I have a feeling that you're going to be extremely helpful for what might be coming down the pipeline next for us. Do you mind taking a walk with me? I want to give you something." I gulped a bit, and then regained my composure.

"Uh, sure, dude. I mean, sir. I mean…" He laughed again as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we began to stride toward the Navigator section of the ship.

"You can call me Keeler, Chanun. Don't worry." I blushed a bit and looked away, hoping that he wouldn't see it. Shit, guys didn't normally get me feeling like this. There was just something so regal yet relaxed about Keeler. The juxtaposition caught me off guard.

"OK then. Keeler it is." We walked past the gym, which had seemingly cleared out a bit.

"So, why did you choose to be a Fighter?" Keeler asked me. I shrugged.

"I scored slightly better in it, and I think it's where my value lies, to be honest. I know my strengths. I'm calm under pressure, I'm coordinated, and I'm tough. I'm not a brilliant strategist like my Navigator, Zek...Ezekiel is." I remembered a second too late that Zeke was not ACTUALLY his code name, but since I was in the presence of his boss I could talk him up a bit.

"And I can't wait to meet him...now EZEKIEL I've heard things about, I must admit," Keeler said as he took his arm off my shoulders, giving me a bit more freedom of movement. "Given the new rules, we don't grant a lot of Spec Exceptions anymore. And on the Sleipnir, doubly so, since we tend to take on a lot of the more...unpredictable, exploration-oriented missions, where impaired vision could lead to dire consequences."

"I've only known him for a couple of hours, but I think he'll be good. I might need to take him to the gym a few times to get his lifting game on point, but we'll each do our part to make the other one ready if we need to battle. That's what a Fighter and Nav are supposed to do, right? Bring the best out of each other?" Keeler smiled and looked me in the eyes as we turned down a hallway that had a "Bridge" sign above it.

"Yup. Take it from me, the worst thing you could do to your partner is to force some chemistry that isn't there. Find out how you relate to one another, and then make that work." We came to the end of the hall. "By the way, welcome to the Bridge."

My mouth was agape as I looked below me, technology and computers and technicians as far as the eye could see. It was a massive space, so active, filled with beeping and whirring and blinking. Keeler let me take it in for a moment, then grabbed my hand and directed me toward a larger station in the corner.

"So, Islander, you know how to swim?" He asked.

"Of course, man." I couldn't help but smirk a bit. "We learn how to swim when we're, like, three on the Islands. I even guarded for four years."

"I could tell," Keeler demurred as he looked me up and down, before grabbing a notebook from the station's countertop. "So, we have intelligence that there might be Colteron activity on an underwater planet in the Baiten Kaitos system. They may be looking to manufacture a weapon that could be used to destroy humanity; we're not sure what it is yet, to be quite honest, but we're going to figure it out. And, once we get a new shipment of submersibles from the home base, which should be in about…" Keeler looked at a calendar, "a month from now, we'll be able to go onto the planet and do some recon. However, there are some issues."

"Let me guess," I said with a knowing grin. "Some of the guys here can't swim."

Keeler nodded, "Yup. I mean, I'll be honest. Have you ever seen Colonists try and swim? They look like dogs just barely being able to keep afloat." He stared into space for a second and then chuckled heartily. "Sorry, I just thought of ONE particular Colonist and what his attempt would be like. Man, I'd pay to see that."

Keeler brushed some of the hair out of his eyes and regained his composure. "But I digress. Yes, swimming lessons might be needed, and that certainly doesn't hurt you. However, my more pressing need is that, underwater, there might be a case when the submersibles are parked and teams are going to have to explore on foot. And then, my Navigators are going to have to get out of their ships. And I want to make sure they know how to defend themselves."

Keeler took a book off of his desk and underhand tossed it to me. I caught it and looked at it. It was a pretty small volume that was titled A Guide to Leading...By Example.

"You showed me some pretty smooth moves tonight," Keeler said with a grin. "I want you to show them to all of my Navigators. Get them ready so that if they have to defend themselves, to dodge attacks in close quarters, they can." I stared at him, dumbstruck.

"But this is my first…"

"I know, Chanun. You're new. This wouldn't happen right away. Not for a few weeks, not until you were slightly more established. But what do you say? Would you do it?"

I mean...was it even a question?

"Yeah, man. Of course...of course I'll do it." Keeler nodded.

"Awesome. You should read that book, it'll do you wonders. It did for me once I rose in the ranks." I nodded, appreciating his help. This was surreal. Less than a day in and I was already in good with one of the Leads.

"I definitely will," I said, tossing the book to myself in the air and catching it in one hand. Keeler grinned.

"You have really good reflexes," he surmised. He reached out an arm to mock punch me, I caught it and pulled him closer, like we were in some sort of strange tango. My arm subconsciously dipped him lower, rubbing his back. Our noses touched.

Fuck. Not in public, not on day one. Not going to be a hypocrite after turning down the guy who threw himself at me in the Mess Hall. Not going to happen.

I pulled him back up and looked around - no one on the Bridge had noticed. I looked at Keeler, who seemed composed, although he did have some faint redness creeping onto his cheeks, the heat of the moment carrying over a little bit.

"Anyway...I should probably be going," I said, a little disappointed but dignity remaining intact. For now, anyway. Keeler gulped and nodded, agreeing.

"At least let me walk you back to your room." He stood up, grabbing my hand, and we left the Bridge. We didn't exchange another word on our stroll back, but in my head I was celebrating.

Today had been splendid, and the foundation had been laid for many good things to come.


End file.
